Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-09-30
THE GRAND ARMY
at ST. Louis Have a Busy
Session-rhe Pension subject is Agi.
tated and President Cleveland Crit.
cised.

Sr. Louis, Sept. 90.
The Grand Army encsmpmenr met at 8 A.
Nj. The committee on pensions related
their efforts to procure liberal legis istion
from Congress, their fate dependent on the
pension bill. which would at least remove
$4,000 veterans from public pauper houses.
They call attention to the Mexican pension
bill which is far more liberal than the one
pensioning soldiers against the rebellion.
This bill met with approval by the President
and they were fairly stunned when from the
same hand came the veto measure.
They appealed to the Grand Army and a
response came from 100000 members in no
uncertain tones. The committee, therefore,
prepared new pension bill. which makes
provision tor pensions to all veterans who
are or may hereafter become unable TO earn
! their own livelihood; for the direct continu-
ance OF pensions for widows in their own
right; for an increase of the present pttaDce
to minor children, for fathers or mothers.
from any date of dependence.
Such q law would at once remove fully
$4,000 veterans from public almshouses
where they now rest, making them pension
ers instead OF paupers, and provide pensions
tor fully as macy more who are now depend
ent upon private charity, and put into the
general pension laws for the first time, a rec
oShA4o' Va kudt pShslOus eNuuiu
be granted to survivors of the war without
absolute proof of disability arising from SER
vice, proof which is almost impossible TO
procure after a lapse of more than twenty
years.
The bill is similar in general principle to
that vetoed The Objectionable pauper
clause is omitted making this disability not
| a dependent bill. The committee recon-
mend the continuance of an earnest effort in
favor of the bill also all the recommends
tons for the increase of equalization pensions
for special disabilities made in the recent re-
port of Pension Commissioner Black pen
sion of Sl2 per month to all widows of hon
orably discharged soldiers and sailors of the
| late war; increased pensions for severe diss-
bilities, substantially az presented in the bill
prepared by the U. S. Manned Veterans
League; pensions for survivors of rebel
prisons, substantially as presented in the bill
by the National Association of Prisoners of
War; increased pension for loss of hearing or
eyesight reenactment of the arrear law;
equitable equalization of bounties the same
pension for the widow of the representative
volunteer soldier of the Union army, John
A. Logan, as paid the widows of those typical
regulars
The report was adopted.
The committee on the annual address, by
the commander-iu- chief, endorses the address
and congratulates Fsirchild and the Grand
Army upon this administration for the past
year. 1t recommends the presentation of
proper testimonial to him; desire specially
to express their approval of general orders
No.. II and l3, believing it entirely improp-
er and contrary 10 the rules of the order for
posts to express themselves by official action
at the request of persons outside of the
Grand Army on any subject or question un-
less officially authorized, or request
through the regular official channels of or
ganization; recommend the appointment of
Past Commander-in-Chi Robert B. Besth
as historian of the order; endorse the recon-
mendation of permanent national head
quarters; approve the suggestion of the gen
eral government to Include in the next decen-
NAL census an enumeration of the Union
soldiers and sailors of the late war who may
be living in 1890.
The report was unanimously adopted with
three rousing cheers for Fairchild. The en-
campment will meet in Columbus, o., in
1888, the week of the centennial of the settle
ment of that city.